This invention is directed to the protection of persons who are sleeping outdoors from insects and more particularly to protect field military personnel subject to mosquito bites and the like when sleeping on a cot or on the ground in a sleeping bag in a insect infested location.
This invention relates to a class of canopies using a mosquito net or other similar fabric to be spread over beds, cots, cradles and the like to protect a person from mosquitos and other annoying insects. In particular, the framework supporting such net or fabric is the focus of this invention. In this connection it is appreciated that it is or critical importance to provide military field equipment with such a design that the military personnel may be protected from mosquitos and other insects while sleeping. It is also essential that any equipment provided for the military shall be as small as possible and light in weight in order that it be portable in the field. Any assembly and maintenance should create no new operational problems.
Typical canopy supports of the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 364,415; 800,530; 2,301,511; and 2,841,803. Some type of suitable material is typically supported by a frame. The disclosure of Hooper (""405) illustrates a netting for a bed supported by four standards (columns) having bands or cords extending between columns to support the netting. The columns are held in place by feet inserted beneath the legs of the bed. No disclosure of a top frame is apparent with this disclosure and the system has limited portability.
The patent of Young (""530) discloses a frame supporting any suitable material canopy. Posts or standards are secured to the ends of the cot legs and rings connected to the side bars prevent the posts from falling outwardly. Upper canopy side bars are removably secured to the upper end of the posts on each side to properly stretch and hold in place the canopy material. The frame of Young remains attached to the cot when the cot is folded.
The patent by Boyce (""511) discloses a mosquito bar support at each end of a conventional army cot comprising vertical supporting rods each held in place by an upper supporting loop around the frame of the cot and a base loop around the lower end of a supporting leg. The top of the supporting rods have telescoping sleeves to receive a cross-bar. The mosquito-bar or fabric is stretched from one end assembly to the other end assembly and secured by tying the fabric to the cot. There is no apparent supporting members along each side to help support the fabric.
In the patent of Bodling (""803) a tent is constructed over a cot by providing a frame located lengthwise above the center of the cot. Uprights at each end have pins at their lower ends adapted to be socketed in vertical holes formed medially in the end rails of the cot. A hinged ridge pole at the top of the uprights provides support for a mesh netting between the ridge pole and the lateral edges of the cot, like a pup-tent.
Cots of various types are disclosed in the art referenced above. Additional folding cot designs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 505,409 by Morrell and Des. Pat. No. 274,679 by Stehlik. The sleeping cot of interest in the present invention is a standard issue conventional army cot approved for military use at the present time. This particular cot is equipped with apertures in the end cross bars that can be used to help support the mosquito net frame of this invention.
A need exists to have a supporting frame for a mosquito net and the like that gives adequate support for most environmental applications. The need to have a mosquito net frame that can be easily assembled, used, disassembled and transported to another location is critical for military applications. The mosquito net frame should also be made for use without the presence of a sleeping cot. Use with a sleeping bag placed on the ground surface is also an important military requirement. Therefore, the mosquito net frame should not depend on the presence of a sleeping cot.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mosquito net frame of such a design to be of extremely light weight, easily portable and adapted to be packed and shipped in containers of relatively small bulk.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sectional mosquito net frame that is designed to allow the individual components to be easily fitted together as an assembled unit in a short time and be instantly dismantled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the mosquito net frame with a minimum number of different components and use components that are obviously placed so that assembly and disassembly is easily achieved without errors.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide the mosquito net frame that uses the standard features of a conventional military type canvass cot to easily support the frame.
Yet another object of the present invention is to define a method for providing easy assembly of the mosquito net frame for placement in use.
Further objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings included in and forming a part of this invention.
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a top frame that can be easily assembled in supporting a mosquito net to protect a person from mosquitos and the like while sleeping. Vertical columns are used to position the top frame a desired distance above a person being protected. Using light weight tubes that are connected together by fittings at the corners and along the sides provides components that are easily stored and carried from place to place in a container. A foot affixed to the bottom end of each column provides support for the completed frame and protects the tubes from collecting debris.
In one embodiment of the invention a portable mosquito net frame is supported by a sleeping cot and carrying a mosquito net to protect a person from the outside environment. The mosquito net frame comprises a rectangular top frame disposed above the person having a length and a width approximately equal to that of the cot. A plurality of square tubes form side members along the length and cross members across the width of the top frame. A pair of T-shaped center fittings are provided for removably connecting a pair of the square tube side members near the center of the length of the top frame and removably connecting one square tube cross member extending across the width of the top frame. Double square corner fittings are provided for removably connecting the square tube side members to square tube cross members at each corner of the top frame. Corner columns comprising square tubes are removably connected vertically at a top end to the double square corner fittings at each corner of the top frame. A foot is affixed at the bottom end of each one of the corner columns to removably support the mosquito net frame from the sleeping cot.
In another embodiment of the invention, a portable mosquito net supporting system for use in a military environment over a sleeping cot is provided. The system comprises a generally horizontal top frame having four side members and three cross members generally forming a length and a width respectively of the top frame. A T-shaped center fixture removably connects two of the side members linearly together to form each lateral side of the top frame. A double square corner fitting is installed at each end of the lateral side to form four corners of the top frame. The cross members connect widthwise adjacent pairs of the corner fixtures and the T-shaped center fixtures. Corner columns connect vertically at a top end to each double square corner fitting to form legs supporting the top frame at a predetermined height. A foot is affixed at the bottom end of each of the corner columns to help support the top frame for receiving the mosquito net.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a method is used for supporting a mosquito net above a ground surface for protecting a sleeping person. The method comprises the first step (1) of providing a plurality of square tubes of the same cross-sectional size but of different length to include four side members, three cross members and four corner columns. A second step (2) includes providing four double square corner fittings and two T-shaped center fittings each having apertures to removably receive and hold the plurality of square tubes. In a third step (3) the method includes assembling a top frame having a length to include two side members linearly connected by one of the T-shaped center fittings on each lateral side and one of the double square corner fittings on each free end of the linearly connected side members. A forth step (4) includes forming a width of the top frame by adding cross members extending between, and removably connected to, adjacent double square corner fittings and adjacent T-shaped center fittings near a center of the length of the top frame. In step five (5) the method includes installing a leg at each corner of the top frame by removably inserting one end of the square tube corner column into the double square corner fitting to become perpendicular to the top frame. A sixth step (6) includes forming a foot integral with a bottom end of each of the square tube corner column for providing a complete mosquito net frame having a length, a width and a height to provide support for coverage by the mosquito net greater than the dimensions and elevation of the sleeping person in a lying position.
In further aspects of the invention the square tubes have a cross-section of only 0.25 inch square and are made of a high strength aluminum alloy for reducing the weight of the mosquito net frame. The fittings have apertures to receive and hold the square tubes by friction and the square tubes can be removed from the fittings without using any tools. The mosquito net frame can be supported by a standard conventional military cot or simply placed on the ground surface.